Clean-out structure for water heater



July '10, 1962' c. A. SCHWEBEL CLEAN-OUT STRUCTURE FOR WATER HEATER Filed Sept. s, 1958 will Z 7;

FIG .4.

42, (I vs INVENTOR CHARLES A .SCHWEBEL. BY 6.4M, M PMQ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,043,467 CLEAN-OUT STRUCTURE FOR WATER HEATER Charles A. Schwebel, 407 W. South St., Steeleville, Ill. Filed Sept. 5,. 1958, Ser. No. 759,236 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-14) This invention relates generally to improvements in a hot water heater, and more particularly to the provision of a clean-out structure in a hot water heater adapted for domestic use.

Over a period of time and use, the mineral constitutents of water will cause deposits to build up in the water tank. An accumulation of residue in contact with a metal surface will hasten metal deterioration. Of course, the rate of accumulation will vary with the locality in which the tank is used because of the difference in the hardness and treatment of water.

The accumulation of sediment builds up at the bottom of the tank and seriously reduces the efficiency of the heater. These foreign matters and deposits occupy space in the tank and hence reduce the tank capacity, adversely effect the transfer of heat to the Water, whether such heater be of gas, oil, electric or the like and hence reduces the rate of recovery of such units.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a clean-out structure in a water heater which can be conveniently utilized by anyone at the site of installation to remove any deposits at the bottom of the water tank, and hence restore the heater efliciency.

Another important objective is achieved by the particular structural arrangement of the clean-out opening in the tank and of the closure means for the opening relative to the tank and shell so as to enable ready access to the closure means incident to clean-out operation.

Still another important objective is realized by the structural relation of the tank opening to the bottom Wall of the tank so as to facilitate removal of deposits from the tank bottom.

Yet another important objective is provided by a bridge plate or trough pivotally connected to the tank adjacent the clean-out opening so that such trough can be disposedup against the closuremeans when folded and disposed outwardly to the exterior of the shell below the opening when extended for facilitating removal of the foreign matter out of the opening and heater shell.

Other important advantages are achieved by providing a clean-out structure in'a domestic hot water heater that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and capable of ready use by anyone without requiring any complicated instructions.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiview of the clean-out structure as seen along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing it is seen that the particular .water heater disclosed is of an electric band type. However, it will be understood that the clean-out structure can be conveniently and advantageously utilized in any type of water heater, whether gas or electric.

'ice

The water heater includes an outermost cylindrical shell generally indicated at 10 having a top wall 11 and a side wall .12. The bottom of shell 10 is attached to and supported by a base 13 adapted to seat securely on a subjacent surface such as a floor.

A water tank referred to at '14, generally of a cylindrical shape, is located within shell 10 and spaced from shell 10 along the top and sides. The water heater 14 includes an upwardly convex top wall 15, side wall 16 and an upwardly convex bottom wall 17.

A base 20 on water heater 14 seats on base -13 of shell 10. A plurality of hanger bolts 21 fasten tank base 20 to shell base 13.

Disposed between shell side wall 12 and tank side wall 16, and between shell top wall 11 and tank top wall 15 is an insulation material 22. Of course, this insulation material 22 may be of any conventional type, either loose material packed in tight in the space between shell 10 and tank 14, or of pad material disposed in this space.

In the specific type of water heater disclosed, the water inlet generally indicated at 23 includes a fitting 24 extending through the bottom wall 17 into tank 14. The water flowing through inlet connection 23 indiverted downwardly toward the bottom wall 17 by an upwardly convex baflle on fitting 24.

The hot Water outlet connection indicated at 25 includes a fitting 26 extending out of the tank top wall 15. Piping 27 is connected to fitting 26 and is extended outwardly of shell 10 for connection to the water system.

A pair of electric-band type heating elements 30 and 31 are disposed around tank 14, one element 30 being located around the upper portion of tank 14 and the other element 31 being located around the lower portion. The heating elements 30 and 31 are operatively connected in an electrical circuit to a thermostat 32 fixed to tank 14 just above the lower heating element 31 and to a thermostat 29 fixed to the tank above upper heating element 30.

The side wall 16 of tank 14 is provided with an opening 33, the lower margin 34 of which is aligned with the bottom wall 17. The opening 33 is of a sufiicient size to enable a tool to be inserted into the interior of tank 14 and applied to the bottom wall 17 in order to remove any and all deposits in the lower portion of tank 14. In the water heater shown, opening 33 is' located just below the lowermost heating element 31.

Located above the periphery of opening 33 and connected to the side wall 16 is a collar piece 35. A closure plate 36'is attached by screws 37 to collar piece 35 and hence to tank 14 to provide a seal of opening 33. A

gasket 41' is disposed between collar piece 35 and closure The closure plate 37 to provide a more effective seal. plate 37 is located in the region between tank side wall 16 and shell side wall 12.

The side wall 12 of shell 10 is provided with an opening 41 located directly opposite the tank opening 33 and closure plate 37. The shell opening 41 is conveniently constructed of suificient size to enable ready access to tank opening 33, closure plate 37 and thermostat 32. A panel 42 is disposed over shell opening 41 and attached to the shell side Wall 12 by a plurality of screws 43.

A trough 44 is pivotally connected by pins 45 to the lower portion of collar piece 35 below the tank opening 33. In a folded or retracted position, the trough 44 is disposed upwardly closely adjacent the closure plate 37 and is located in the region between tank side wall 16 and shell panel 42. This retracted position of trough 44 is shown in full lines in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

Upon removal of shell panel 42, the trough 44 can be moved to its extended position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. in this extended position, trough 44 extends outwardly from tank 14 below opening 33, through shell opening 41 and outwardly beyond the shell it). The trough 4 enables the deposits removed from tank 14 through opening 33 to be transported from the tank and outwardly of shell 19.

Insulation material 46 may be disposed behind shell panel '42 to insulate this portion of the tank and the clean-out structure.

It is thought that the use, mode of operation and functional results of the clean-out structure have become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of parts, but for completeness of disclosure such features will be explained briefly.

it assumed that the water heater has been in use for a period of time and that deposits have accumulated in the bottom of tank 14, adversely effecting the elficiency of the heater. It is now desired to remove these deposits and restore heater efiiciency.

Screws 43 are removed and panel 4-2 is detached from shell in to expose the shell opening 41. If any insulation material 46 is disposed behind panel 42, such insulation is removed to clear closure plate 37 and trough 44. The trough 4a is pivotally moved downwardly from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 4 to the extended position shown in broken lines. The face of closure plate 37 is then exposed. The screws 37 are removed, and closure plate 36 is disconnected and removed to enable access through tank opening 33.

Any suitable tool may be inserted through opening 33 into tank 14 and the deposits scraped from bottom wall 17 and removed through tank opening 33. The deposits upon leaving tank opening 33 fall into the trough 44 and can be moved outwardly beyond the shell 1% After removal of all deposits, the tank opening 33 is closed upon replacement of closure plate 36. Then, the trough :4 is swung upwardly to the folded position shown in full lines in PEG. 4. Any insulation material 46 is then replaced. Shell panel 42 is then reconnected to the side wall 12 of shell 1t Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope or the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. A water heater comprising a water tank having a bottom wall and a side wall, a shell spaced about said tank, the side wall of said tank being provided with an opening the lower margin of which is closely adjacent said bottom wall, a closure means disposed solely in the space between the tank and shell, said closure means being disposed over said opening and detachabiy connected to said tank, means between the closure means and tank sealing said opening, the shell having means enabling access to said closure means and to said opening for clean-out of said tank, a plate pivotally connected to the tank adjacent the said opening for extension and retraction, the plate being pivotally movable to a substantially erect position adjacent the outer side of the closure means and disposed completely in the space between the tank and shell when retracted, and being pivotally movable when extended to a substantially horizontal position below the said opening and extending from the said tank to the said shell, whereby deposits removed from the tank through said opening are transported along the said plate from the tank outwardly of said shell.

2. A domestic hot water heater comprising a water tank having a bottom wall and a side wall, a shell disposed ahout and spaced from said tank, insulation between the shell and tank, the side wall of said tank being provided with a clean-out opening immediately adjacent said bottom wall, the opening having its bottom margin aligned with said bottom wall, a closure plate disposed over said opening and detachably connected to said tank, means between said closure plate and tank sealing said opening, said closure plate being located solely in the space between said tank and shell, the shell having a panel disposed directly opposite the said closure plate, the panel being removable for access to said closure plate and to said clean-out opening, a trough pivotally connected to the tank adjacent the bottom margin of said opening for retraction and extension, the trough being pivotally movable to a substantially erect position adjacent the outer side of the closure plate and being disposed completely in the space between the tank and shell when retracted, and being pivotally movable when extended to a substantially horizontal position below the said opening, the trough extending from the said tank outwardly of the said shell and bridging the space between the tank and shell, whereby deposits removed from the tank through said clean-out opening are transported along the trough from the tank outwardly of said shell, and insulation in the space between the tank and shell and overlying the closure plate and trough when the trough is retracted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,300,873 Quinn Apr. 15, 1919 1,587,393 Majercsik June 1, 1926 1,765,871 Johnson June 24, 1930 1,827,521 Heatman Oct. 13, 1931 1,967,637 Uhler iuly 24, 193 2,361,635 Koppel Oct. 31, 194-4 

